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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: KINGS v COYOTESMay 14, 2012Darryl SutterPHOENIX, ARIZONA: Practice Day THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. King and Nolan seemed to have gotten progressively better as the playoffs have continued. Anything in particular you would look at or ways you would evaluate how they have gotten to the level they're at right now? COACH SUTTER: They both played some even‑strength minutes. Moved them around. I think we brought them up, you know, we were playing them more. But I think as the games, just because they're young guys, changed their roles a little bit. That's where they should be. Q. The way your defense is set up, it seems like you guys can roll with three and not change the style at all. How much better does it make it as a coach for you when you know you can throw a pair out there and they're going to play the same way? COACH SUTTER: Well, they played five together, if you look at it. That's why Willie and Slava would play some of the power play together because it was out of whack for a while. Split partners up. After the power play, you have not the right two guys out there. If you look at it, Greener usually kills with Willie, and Marty plays some of the power plays. Robby and Drew are together a lot, but after that you'll see that's why their minutes get funny. But they're lefty‑righties and it works. Q. Over the years have you found a team can rally around a guy that is working his way out of a tough year like Dustin Penner both on and off the ice? COACH SUTTER: The best way is to be honest in all that stuff, right? Since the season started, the playoffs started, then he gets a season by winning rounds a new season again. You know, he's a popular guy in the locker room, so that has obviously helped him. Quite honestly, as I said, I have a good relationship with him. He knows exactly where he stands, and that's good. Q. There was some news today with Gagne getting cleared for contact. Do you have any expectation for him to come at all? COACH SUTTER: That's news to me. I mean, he hasn't played a game in five, six months. He hasn't practiced with the team literally since, what was it? Anything is highly unlikely really when you think about it. It's a head‑issue, injury. We played Vancouver in that first round, Sedin had been out then for a month to the day, look how it affected him. This guy hasn't played in five months. Hasn't played in 2012. Q. Even after an impressive win, what do you want to improve upon for Game2? COACH SUTTER: You know what, we had a lot of opportunities in the first period last night. I know that Dave and his staff are saying that they didn't, probably didn't play very well. We sure as hell better be ready again for that tomorrow. It's not about anything last night. Just knowing full well what they're‑‑ I know the leadership group, I know what they're expecting out of themselves for tomorrow. Q. Darryl, what is your approach to matchups? Some coaches feel like it puts their team out of rhythm. Do you have specific matchups in mind? COACH SUTTER: We're the visiting team. They get the matchups they want. It's very difficult in the NHL the way it is now, the way it's officiated, the way your time‑outs are to change on the fly. It's very, very difficult. When you're not a home‑ice team, you don't always get the matchups you want. That's why you need balance on your team, right? Phoenix is the same as us. See what the series is, see how guys are playing. That's how you do it. You do it shift by shift, period by period. If you're lucky enough to get a faceoff, you can change. That's a big change in the game. Very few teams change on the fly. The teams that chase matchups end up chasing the puck. Q. Having been off for the period of time that you were off, were you pleased with the way your guys came out and started the game? COACH SUTTER: I think they're in a good frame of mind. That's what you're most concerned about. That's always a balance. You can practice all you want, but it becomes a mental issue, right? So it's about their individual preparation, about guys taking charge of that. Q. Dwight King was just talking about how when he was a kid coming up playing, one of the things his dad was always having to get on him for was being aggressive, being physical. Sometimes big guys, that's not built in. What's your experience in terms of his willingness? COACH SUTTER: I don't know if it's built in. He's played, what, 25 games in the NHL and a handful of playoff games. Obviously, if you look at the history of him, I've seen him as a junior, I've only seen him play twice as a pro until this year. So that was the issue. Big guy with lots of skill, use it properly, right? If he uses it properly, he has a chance to play in the NHL. If he doesn't, he doesn't. Q. (No microphone.) COACH SUTTER: Probably the same thing that we all talk about. He's a big kid that's got lots of skill. He's probably not unlike Dustin was when he came out, right? I mean, think about it. Big guy with lots of skill. Q. If you look at your group of center icemen, do you see other groups in the league that you like any better? COACH SUTTER: Well, we liked in our first two series, the matchups. We talked about it being an important part of it. I know everybody is talking about the matchups in this series. But that is just as important. When you look at Marty Hanzal and Vermette and Boyd Gordon and Daymond, right, four key guys on their team, four key guys on our team. You look at it in that light, in terms of expectations, minutes, how they're used, there's similarities. I said when I came here, I thought it was the strongest part of our team. Last year, Kopitar never played in the playoffs. Richy wasn't here. Jarret Stoll was suspended one game, Fras was not here. If you look at it, it's a total shift in that position. You know how important that position is. Q. You weren't around when Jarret was the number two center on the team. Do you think this role is good for him now? COACH SUTTER: Yeah, you know, if he's come through it, it's a good role, right? When Cam and I came in December, we played him at right wing, that's because the way we were, guys struggling with injuries. His best position is center. If you look at it historically, he's a 15‑goal guy, 20‑assist guy, penalty killer and a face‑off guy. You know what that role is, perfect role. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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